1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to maintenance of industrial conveyor belts and, more particularly, to a plurality of conveyor belt maintenance specialty tools.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conveyor belts are used in various industrial applications throughout the world. They are particularly well adapted for movement of solid material of a variety of commodities, such as coal, iron ore, stone, and the like. Taken one particular industry as an example, convey belts move coal from a stock pile and a dumper pit at a power plant to the bunker where it fed into boilers. The belts ride on a system of rollers, each fit into a frame that provide a rolling support mechanism for the belt. The top side of the belt is the feed side, and is usually in the form of a trough. The bottom side of the belt is called the return side. Belts are commercially available in widths of between 1-1/2feet to 7 feet and larger. The trough side runs on a series of three individual rollers, a base roller and a pair of outer rollers that are angled between 20 degrees and 35 degrees upward from the base roller, thereby forming a trough. Theses series of three rollers are placed at four foot increments, and at every 24 rollers is a trainer roll which helps guide the belt as it runs. At the return side, the return belt side is flat, and is supported by a series of single rolls placed at 8 foot increments. The return side also has trainer rolls and frames which help guide the belt.
In operation, rolls can fail and require various types of maintenance or replacement. Each roll has a bearing assembly on each end, which can be greased to prolong the life. However, in practice the time and cost of greasing each bearing assembly usually leads to the conclusion of allowing the rollers to go un-maintained until a replacement is in order. Under this method, rolls will be replaced individually, at different times, only upon the individual need.
The main problems address by the present disclosure attack the difficulties associated with replacing these failed rolls. The conveyor belt itself is under tension at all times during operation, with a counter wight at the head end of the belt to maintain this tension. In addition to having to overcome this tension force, the belt itself is heavy, but must be raised up off of the rolls in order to remove each roll. Generally, each roll has a pair of retaining nuts, but is also held down in a retaining slot.
A conventional solution to this problem has been to disassemble the roll support frame and lower the entire assembly downward from the moving belt prior to removal and replacement of the roll.
Another problem occurs from the fact that there is nothing that exists that both the rolls and frames are heavy, with no provision to allow the maintenance individual to easily support, transport, or carry. To compound this problem, seldom is a conveyor assembly positioned to allow for flat walkways, easy access, and adequate working room. Therefor, the rolls and frames generally currently need to be physically removed to a remote location for replacement or repair.
Numerous attempts have been made to correct for the foregoing problems. However, a search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,925* issued in the name of Gallagher et al; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,827* issued in the name of Maftos; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,012* issued in the name of Nord et al; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,327* issued in the name of Chouteau et al; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,131* issued in the name of Bonnett; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,047* issued in the name of Bonnett; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,859* issued in the name of Long et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,568* issued in the name of Breiling et al.; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,272* issued in the name of Bay.
Of particular interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,925 issued in the name of Gallagher et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,272 issued in the name of Bay. However, the handle design, the portability of the present invention and its various elements, as well as the completely integrated nature of the present disclosure, individually and in combination, appear unanticipated by these references or the art in general. Consequently, a need has therefore been felt for an improved but less complex series of specialty tools that are particularly adapted for maintaining conventional industrial conveyor belt systems.